Merciless Fate
by FreshMeat
Summary: It could happen to anybody, shatter anyone's hopes, destroy anyone's dreams. Something to get me outta my writer's block! Oneshot, most likely.


**Yeah, I know I have a big story I should be updating but…I just had a really sudden idea, y'know? Plus I've hit a bit of writer's block, maybe this'll help get me back into the writing zone. Who really cares though, here's an Elfen Lied story. Most likely a one-shot, but I guess I could make it a two or three shot if I get anyone to ask me.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the diclonius premise, but I won't be using any official characters so that's gotta count for something right?**

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This man was happy once. He was successful, well to do, laid back, fresh out of college and deeply in love with his new wife. He had nearly faultless grades and full scholarships. He won all of his basketball games MVP. He was wiry and muscular; wouldn't gain a pound if he ate a horse. His dark brown hair fell right into the perfect place for him. His parents were proud of him; they smiled to themselves whenever they thought about their son, a silent congratulation for a job well done. The sun always shined cheerily, it was never harsh; the rain always sprinkled onto his face fresh and cool as morning dew, it was never cold or depressing. No, not for him, he had done everything right.

He wasn't even arrogant about it. He was a great guy, in fact. Anyone who knew him could vouch for that. His voice rang with the cheery tone of an optimist and he carried an aura of casual confidence that made others feel assured. He was always well groomed and smelt faintly of aftershave. He gave to charity, he was loyal and faithful, he played with little kids in the park.

He loved to play with the kids. On some weekends he and his better half would go out together, walk for hours on end around a woodsy park, chatting and holding hands while whispering words of love to each other before finally taking a rest on a bench in front of a pastel-colored plastic wonderland. The big places that had those swirl slides and monkey bars were his favorites, those were the ones that the littlest occupied. Naive chatter, squealing laughter, the simple innocence of the playground got to him. Even though he was usually exhausted by the time he got there, he found energy whenever a little girl inquired, "Mister, can you pway wif me?" Whether it be hide-and-go-seek or a simple burial in sand, he enjoyed it immensely, more than the kid sometimes. The actual game didn't mean much, but the smiles he found he could garner meant more than anything else in his life. His wife said he was crazy running around with those little kids, but she smiled and sighed in contentment when she watched him.

He cried when he found out his wife was pregnant. She laughed at him for being so sentimental but she soon cried just as hard.

God, he was happy. He held more happiness in every day of his life than most held in their entire life. Everything lit up for him and he was never wanting of anything. Some thought it was even a little unfair. Jealous people muttered under their breath as he passed and tried to stir up scandals involving him, but nothing ever hindered him. Something seemed to be protecting him.

But maybe his guardian angel left him. Maybe all of the resentment cursed him. Maybe something happened when he was a child. Or maybe it was just cruel fate. There isn't a man alive who knows how it happened to this man. But it happened all the same, and he wasn't happy anymore.

"OH! OH, It's coming!"

"Just breathe honey, remember, just breathe," he reminded his wife, squeezing the hand intertwined with his. "You can do this…"

"OHHHH! It hurts!" Suddenly it was she who was squeezing and he nearly cried out in unison with her.

"That's it…push! Push!" The buzzing lights above didn't give off much heat but he felt hotter than he had ever felt before. Sweat trickled down his neck and slowly inched along his back creating an itch he couldn't scratch.

She was breathing heavily and in obvious pain, she hadn't slept in a full 24 hours now and was tired, but she managed a smile all the same. "I-I'm gonna thrash you… for doing this to me…"

He smiled as well, but she couldn't see it behind the face mask the doctors had made him put on. The scrubs he wore rustled as he squirmed around slightly, trying to find relief from all the itching dribbles of water running across his skin.

"Here we go…I think I see something…" The doctor looked up at the couple and tried his best to think of something reassuring to say. It was only his third delivery. "It's close…just give it some more help!"

"But it huRTS! I FEEL LIKE I'M Being RIPPED APART!" she screamed out it pain and shock. She had heard it hurt but she hadn't been expecting anything like this. _No mother is ever prepared for it _she had read in her maternity books, but she was still surprised by the burning, ripping sensation racking her body.

"C'mon honey, it'll be over soon!"

"OHHH!"

"Here comes the head, I think!"

"This is the hardest part, just push him out and the rest will follow!" He ran a hand through her hair in a sentimental gesture that she could hardly feel compared to the pain.

"I can see it! Yes, here it comes!" The excitement in his voice gave away his inexperience, but it lent the mother renewed vigor. With a one last cry the stubborn obstruction slipped away and fell into the doctor's arms, thrashing and screaming because of the painful light, chill air, and tight grip around it's legs.

"Congratulations! It's a girl!"

The shrill shrieks were the most beautiful music in the world to this man. He had been dreaming and planning for months, waiting for the chance to teach a child of his own about the ways of the world. Now he would always have a smiling face to call his own, a little girl to influence and nurture and love, he would have someone to play with him in the playground everyday.

His wife's eyes seemed glossy; she had collapsed and was completely spent. The once bone-cracking vice grip was a limp, cold clutch; cold cooked noodles wrapped around his hand. Her hair was a tangled mess and sweat stains seeped through her thin patient's gown around the collar and armpit areas. Even though she had looked better, he looked on her with more adoration than he had shown on their wedding day. She had given him the thing he had needed most in this world.

"I love you."

"I'm… _never_… doing this again… you had better be happy with your daughter."

"I know I - we will be."

"Always so dramatic…heh…"

"Oh, our first child, not anything to get worked up over, right?"

"Our _only_ child…unless you feel like squeezing the next kid out."

"I think you did a okay job, myself."

"Okay…? Once I get out of this hospital bed…"

His life was perfect. Absolutely perfect.

"I love you."

"…I love you too."

Then it started to crumble.

"Erm…Nurse…Nurse, can you come over here for a second?" The doctor had been dealing with the placenta, cleaning away the goo coat, wrapping a pink blanket around her, doing everything doctors do to infants, but he had stopped suddenly and his expression had awkwardly twitched into one of confusion. A middle-aged, very bored looking woman leisurely strolled in looking annoyed, as if this was just one of many other petty interruptions.

"What is it this time?"

"Uh…maybe you should look at this…" He turned to her, choosing his words carefully. He also kept the newborn out of the parents' sight.

"You're the doctor here, remember?" She crossed her arms, but strolled over and peeked over a shoulder. Her tone immediately changed. "Oh…"

"Wha-What is going on here?" The cloud he had been floating on began to disperse and he fell into a harsh reality, the possibility of a problem. Panic suddenly ripped through him like a shower of needles, pricking his every nerve until his brow began to moisten and his hair stood erect.

"Is there something wrong with my baby?" Likewise, the air of joviality normally surrounding his wife evaporated and she sat up as quick as if she had been spring-loaded.

"…Ah, uh…" The doctor's head swiveled around and he stammered, "I d-don't know. I…I haven't been doing this very long, so it's probably nothing, I've just never seen this in any medical textbook…"

"I've never heard of anything like this either…and I've been helping deliver in this hospital for 10 years." The nurse turned to the mother and her every feature showed sympathy towards her.

"Let me see my baby! Let me see her!" An almost desperate fear showed in the voice as maternal instincts kicked in. She extended her arms as far as she could and shot a glare that said, "Give". Anybody from any nation speaking any language wouldn't have had any trouble understanding.

"Uh…okay…" Very unsure of himself, but not knowing what else to do, the M.D. slowly and reluctantly tuned around and deposited the bundle he held into in to her mother's arms.

She didn't cry or shout or smile or do anything. Her face became a mask and nothing was spoken for a long while.

The buzzing of the fluorescent lights became very profound and the nervous tapping of feet rang out. The baby girl herself must have felt the heaviness of the moment because she limited herself to quiet whimpers.

The father could only see his child's back, could not see any problem. His mind raced already with all of the consequences. Dreams cracked and shattered before they were even really made. Eventually, he gathered the nerve to speak up.

"Can…I…see her?"

It was passed to him without a word, and still without expression or any emotion. He couldn't even feel love coming from his wife anymore and it scared him. Grasping the pink blankets in unsteady hands, he looked down on his daughter and gasped.

She was beautiful.

Just the right weight, just the right wisp of dark hair on top, just the right little hands, just the right little fingers. Just the right delicate nose and tiny ears. Her lips would grow to be full and pouty, _she'll be able to get anything she wants with her pout_, he thought to himself.

"I don't see why everyone is so upset…" he said at last. "She's…beautiful." He meant it.

"I'll go and call somebody, ask someone…" The doctor left, almost tripping in his haste.

"You won't be able to do anything on your own…" The nurse followed.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?" He said, not really expecting an answer. He didn't get any either, not a verbal one anyway. His wife simply looked at him sadly and held her arms out for her child again. She closed her eyes as she held her.

"You're right…" she croaked, "She is beautiful… I'm sorry."

Seemingly sensing the sadness around, the little girl started crying again. Her mother sang softly, but the song sounded depressing so she kept crying. Her father lost himself just watching. The poor man was happy again; looking at the two people he loved most, not knowing his fate was already sealed. He just continued counting the wonderful things he saw.

She had just the right shining eyes, just the right dainty feet, just the right…

No, just perfect…

Just perfect horns growing out of her perfect head.

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**Well, what do you think? You've probably noticed that nobody actually had a name – that was intentional. I normally can't stand OCs and I figured that if I didn't name these guys they wouldn't really be OCs; they could be anybody.**

**I think that might have got me out of my rut, so I might get around to updating my big story now…or I could continue this. I already have an idea on how to do that, but I'm lazy (as most of you probably know) and I'll have to really get a good response to motivate me.**


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